The first book in the LA Quartet proves Ellroy is the epitome of noir. Not only does he exemplify the hallmarks of the genre but adds a realism and seThe first book in the LA Quartet proves Ellroy is the epitome of noir. Not only does he exemplify the hallmarks of the genre but adds a realism and sense of desperation few can muster. Turning the pages of THE BLACK DAHLIA will infuse the reader with a keen sense of time and place via a perfect blend of heinous fact and deeply disturbed fiction. Making it all the more harrowing is the believability – not only of the details of the Black Dahlia case itself, but the actions of the officers and other characters alike.
Everyone is tainted, judged by their inadequacies, hated by their conquests. The outlook remains bleak from the first bout to the bloody end. Cops Bleichert and Blanchard and the woman who both solidifies and threatens to break them are as well written and wholly consuming as any I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Story aside, the characters are what makes THE BLACK DAHLIA really come to life – not taking anything away from the case which looms over these characters till the very end.
Ellroy crafts a masterfully intense and provocative crime noir which takes the reader deep into his own dark places and allows them to wallow in a perpetual state of hopelessness and longing. THE BLACK DAHLIA is confronting, disturbing, and demands multiple reads - one of my all time favourites and a classic of the genre. ...more
Lieberman’s looks at the special unit formulated to stop the wave of mobsters heading to LA promised to be a bare knuckle, bruising and bloody affair.Lieberman’s looks at the special unit formulated to stop the wave of mobsters heading to LA promised to be a bare knuckle, bruising and bloody affair. It had it all; colourful mobsters (Cohan at least started out that way while Jack Whalen’s history was slowly building via his criminal genes), ruthless cops who wouldn’t think twice about stepping over the line to enforce justice, and sultry women hanging off the arms of the bad guys. In other words, GANGSTER SQUAD was reading like a well detailed pulp, brimming with interesting back story, multiple plot threads, and intriguing police cases (later the Black Dahlia case comes up only to be mentioned in passing). It maintained this premise for the majority before becoming bogged down at times with filler content – while seemingly thoroughly researched; I felt it had a tendency to push the entertainment value to the side in order to pursue a more journalistic angle (Lieberman is a journalist, and this story did, in part at lease appear in serial form in the 1990’s).
Supposedly focused on this elite group of lawmen, I found it more a book of Cohan and Whalen’s journey to crime and subsequent deaths. While Lieberman hit the mark for the most part, I would’ve liked to have seen more of a focus on the squad themselves (O’Mara and a few others have adequate page time but I was still left wanting more – a good sign).
There are many interesting factoids within GANGSTER SQUAD, from their success rate, influence, relationship with the FBI and their individual members. All added a picture perfect snapshot of the real LA noir. There is a lot of re-read value without a doubt.
Despite enjoying GANGSTER SQUAD I got the feeling it was watered down to curb the violence, particularly as the story progressed as the squad members themselves fell in line with LAPD policy. If Lieberman had written more about crime and punishment over back story and lives of his character studies then I wouldn’t hesitate in giving GANGSTER SQUAD 5 stars. ...more
THE SECRET LIVES OF MARRIED WOMEN – both title and cover are a little misleading. I’ve seen reviews note the cover is R18 whereas the content PG13 andTHE SECRET LIVES OF MARRIED WOMEN – both title and cover are a little misleading. I’ve seen reviews note the cover is R18 whereas the content PG13 and for the most part I’d have to agree. Not necessarily a bad thing, as I for one, wasn’t sure what I was going to get with this book so I didn’t have any expectations.
The story plays out in two distinct and subtlety linked acts. The first focuses on a young couple with a baby and another on way. The housewife, Leda, feels underappreciated and disconnected from her husband and finds a friend in labourer Jack, who happens to be doing some work next door. Cue the adultery? Not quite, while I thought this was the direction the story was heading, Jack turned out to be a stalker of sorts and ends up missing with Leda’s husband, Stas, a prime suspect.
The second half of the book is all about the world beneath the silk curtain - one where desires and lustful ambitions can be bought, exploited, and used as currency. Lilly, Leda’s sister, is a successful lawyer who has been trying for some time to have a baby with her husband but thus far, falling pregnant has eluded the power couple. Lilly’s case takes her to a place so foreign to her everyday life that it at once excites and appals her. Nan, a professional submissive, has left the life to work as a devoted receptionist/personal assistant to a blind powerbroker only to cross paths with Lilly when her employer is involved in a shady development deal. Nan’s world and Lilly’s collide, opening them both to new experiences and ways of life. This portion of the novel is more along the lines as to what the cover promised.
THE SECRET LIVES OF MARRIED WOMEN is an enjoyable, well written and easily readable book. It’s not heavily explicit and the touch of crime added some flavour to the overarching tale. More Hardcase Crime than Fifty Shades of Grey.
Drawing upon dark humour and clever use of coincidence, Declan Burke’s THE BIG O is a kidnap caper that’s violently funny and is written in a manner eDrawing upon dark humour and clever use of coincidence, Declan Burke’s THE BIG O is a kidnap caper that’s violently funny and is written in a manner eerily reminiscent of Elmore Leonard. The kidnapper, Ray, doubles as a painter; an occupation he readily uses to scope his targets. Wanting to retire from the business, Ray takes on one last job to snatch the wife of a doctor for the purpose of netting some insurance cash. Along the way Ray becomes involved with the doctors receptionist and later discovers the target and Karen (receptionist) know one another, having formed a common bond in despising the no-so-good doctor.
Karen is the strongest character here; it’s her past that catches up to Ray and throws the scheme off balance when a former boyfriend is released from prison. Demanding a stash of cash, gun, and bike – all of which Karen is unable to return proves to be the catalyst for a train wreck of unfortunate events that turn a simple snatch and grab into a deadly showdown.
I really liked Burke’s easy flowing narrative and inventive characters. While coincidence upon coincidence has a tendency to become unbelievable and disinteresting, in THE BIG O it actually works. Each scenario is plausible (if you suspend your belief a tad) and down right funny. The light hearted nature to the serious scheme complements these characters perfectly. I liken the overall style to a cross between Elmore Leonard, Victor Gischler (SHOTGUN OPERA), and Carl Hiaasen. Dubbed a screwball noir – the subgenre couldn’t be more apt. ...more
For a wealthy couple who have everything, their lives are a constant reminder that without children they can never feel complete. Having tried and faiFor a wealthy couple who have everything, their lives are a constant reminder that without children they can never feel complete. Having tried and failed in many attempts at falling pregnant, the couple seek out an unorthodox doctor hidden from the world, shrouded in secrecy, and whispered upon a terrifyingly cold midnight breeze who claims a 100% success rate – only there’s a side effect which threatens to tear the family limb by limb.
Chase Novak’s New York is one brimming with night terrors and extreme love, loss, life, and death – not so different from fact yet this fiction is gory laden with a sickly sweet purpose that exemplifies the desperation of parenthood amid unearthly cravings and animalistic instincts.
BREED will pull, stretch and sever a parents heart strings through a heartfelt horror that’s bleeding cool and very readable. ...more
HEAD GAMES expands on the magical keys first introduced in WELCOME TO LOVECRAFT with this later instalment focusing on a key which has the ability opeHEAD GAMES expands on the magical keys first introduced in WELCOME TO LOVECRAFT with this later instalment focusing on a key which has the ability open a person’s head, exposing their memories for all to see. It also allows for knowledge to be quickly accumulated (reading a book negated by simply placing the book directly inside a person’s head). This was all a little weird (but I should’ve gathered that from the title) and a little removed from the anywhere key (which allows you to travel through time and place) and the ghost key (which turns you into a ghost) shown in WELCOME TO LOVECRAFT. Joe Hill certainly bumped up the strange in the second instalment.
Where WELCOME TO LOVECRAFT focused on a horrific and violent event, HEAD GAMES moves towards the pure horror and speculative fiction angel. This time round, a mysterious and dangerous man is the centre of the story and his impact on the recovering Locke family is sure to be bloody. His thirst for the keys unrelenting, his menace quiet and unassuming. I like the direction Joe Hill is taking this series.
While HEAD GAMES was an enjoyable and extremely well paced read (even the back-story sequences well executed), this wasn’t as good as WELCOME TO LOVECRAFT, then again, I don’t suspect many graphic novels will be. 3 stars.
A TV repairman is lured into the world of adultery and false promises by a heavenly blonde with a perfect shape and healthy bedroom appetite. Hob SampA TV repairman is lured into the world of adultery and false promises by a heavenly blonde with a perfect shape and healthy bedroom appetite. Hob Sampson, is trying to make ends meet when he’s shunned by the bank when asking for a loan to further his business. Slowly, the reasons unravel with his father’s past the reason for his financial difficulties. If ever Hob needed to settle a score, this was it. The blonde just happens to be the bankers wife and the set-up too convenient to ignore.
DIAL M FOR MAN portrays the small town hardships and community run by few, with the balance of power far from equitable. Hob is an average Joe who succumbs to irrrestible curves and the promise of a once in a lifetime payoff.
The early stages of the novel felt comparable to Gil Brewer’s THE VENGEFUL VIRGIN where a TV repairman (Jack Ruxton) is lured into the arms of a wanton woman only to be embroiled in a murder scheme. DIAL M FOR MAN is very much the same in premise but delivered with more emotional and holistic plot depth.
I enjoyed DIAL M FOR MAN – it’s a thinly plotted pulp that doesn’t miss a beat without being overly memorable. Recommended for Orrie Hitt fans and pulp enthusiasts.
A Goodis-like noir full of lust, desperation, and an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. For Orrie Hitt’s characters, there is no way out of the slumsA Goodis-like noir full of lust, desperation, and an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. For Orrie Hitt’s characters, there is no way out of the slums he so deftly portrays in THE CHEATERS, only a less painful way to make ends.
Cheating is commonplace, an accepted pastime in The Dell, one that has kept young woman off the streets and in beds on their backs, and hapless men without coin to feed their families for favouring sins of the flesh. Clint, a bartender who also runs a small prostitution business on the side takes full advantage of this, much to the dislike of his pregnant girlfriend.
Wanting to live as straight and narrow as able given his occupation, Clint easily succumbs to the curves and pretty face of his bosses wife, before long he’s paying off cops, contemplating murder, and leaving his girlfriend.
THE CHEATERS is a highly addictive novel that emphasises all that is noir through a whisky stained glass. It’s brimming with bad people in a bad place with little or no redeeming qualities. Much like Goodis, Orrie Hitt is fast becoming one of my favourite noir/pulp authors.
Koontz ramps up the other worldly aspects of the Odd Thomas series in DEEPLY ODD by exploring parallel worlds, introducing the ability for Odd to glimKoontz ramps up the other worldly aspects of the Odd Thomas series in DEEPLY ODD by exploring parallel worlds, introducing the ability for Odd to glimpse into the future, and arranging a supporting cast with heavy supernatural undertones.
For DEEPLY ODD, the endearing series protagonist turns detective on a mission to save a group of kidnapped children from the clutches of a brutal and overtly violent cult. Along the way Odd is accompanied by a new spirit, an elderly and mysterious woman, and visions of a disturbing and inhumane world where a doppelganger seeks Odds last breath as his own.
The series continues to feel more episodic the more I read. While Koontz makes a lot of references to ODD THOMAS (book 1) and BROTHER ODD (book 2), this sixth instalment reads very much as a stand-alone while providing just enough continuity to keep the series going.
Overall, not as good as ODD APOCALYPSE (book 5) but still worth a read. Be warned, Odd’s introspection and Koontz capacity to build filler into the text can be a little distracting. ...more
Fear is motivation in Richard Parker’s SCARE ME, a thriller where the blue collar meets coppery red violence. This gripping and intense story of one mFear is motivation in Richard Parker’s SCARE ME, a thriller where the blue collar meets coppery red violence. This gripping and intense story of one man’s plight to save his daughter from her twisted captures pulls no punches.
Will Frost, a wealthy businessman is awoken in the early hours of the morning by a mysterious caller asking if he’s googled himself. From that moment on, life as he knows it ceases to exist with dreams making way for a living nightmare as he travels half way around the world to bring his pregnant daughter and her boyfriend home to safety.
The killer in this story is sadistic, inventive, and overtly cruel using not only visual aides to demonstrate their habit but also employing tactics to further deep emotional trauma on their victims.
Will is an endearing protagonist anchored by his wife and business associates. He maintains humility despite an abundance of wealth with family and friends the most important aspect of his life. The killer knows and exploits this in an all too realistic and devilish manner.
SCARE ME is an engrossing, addictive, and all consuming thriller by an author who looks to have mastered the craft of suspense and heart pounding action. I highly recommend SCARE ME. ...more
Innocence, naivety, ignorance – the PI with the body to moonlight as a bikini model and the face to go along with it conforms to all three. ‘The nerviInnocence, naivety, ignorance – the PI with the body to moonlight as a bikini model and the face to go along with it conforms to all three. ‘The nerviest, curviest, PI in Los Angeles’ is a blonde bombshell following in her murdered father’s footsteps. H West was once a well-known gumshoe, now with Honey West taking over the family business she faces difficulty in re-establishing the brand, having to overcome male perception and era stereotypes.
THIS GIRL FOR HIRE is a fun, pulpy murder mystery full of cheesy dialogue and little realism (there is a scene where Honey is nearly raped only to then end up playing strip poker with the man and his friends). The first installment in the Honey West PI series is to be taken lightly. G.G. Fickling goes to great lengths to embellish the unbelievable (the killer once unveiled was someone I didn't imagine – it also makes a mockery of the police involved in the case).
There are plot holes by virtue of real life contrasts simply not being plausible (an inability to recognize a murdered person for instance) yet this doesn't come off as a bad thing. In fact, it adds to the pulpy fun feel of Honey West. Her charisma and care-free attitude is refreshing. Her ignorance, almost enough to get her out of many tight situations (and not just her bathing suit – of which there are many references).
The case is simple and linear – a Hollywood type hires Honey West fearing for his life. Soon he’s found murdered proving his fears correct. Shortly thereafter Honey is once again hired by her former clients friend (also in the business) to track down the killer. Suspects drop quicker than shoddy scripts as the conclusion draws near – the mystery certainly kept me guessing.
Despite its shortcomings, THIS GIRL FOR HIRE (pub 1956) is very much a guilty pleasure – it doesn't do much for the literary senses but does satisfy the craving for simple pulp entertainment, easily consumed and equally enjoyed....more
Complex narrative in league with the finest James Ellroy. In Charlie Huston's current day spy thriller, protagonist, Skinner is embroiled in modern glComplex narrative in league with the finest James Ellroy. In Charlie Huston's current day spy thriller, protagonist, Skinner is embroiled in modern global warfare, a deadly game of smoke and mirrors where trust is a commodity he can ill afford.
Skinner's primary occupation is that of protecting his assets as deemed by the secretive agency he's employed. Skinner will do anything to protect his asset, murdering any threat with little or no remorse.
He's a unique assassin, a victim of experimental parents who used him as a test case for life inside a skinner box for most of his youth. The breeding ground for his violent and emotionless ways introduced from birth sprouted a highly effective and dangerous man who would eventually be an asset and liability to the spy game.
SKINNER showcases Charlie Huston's diversity as a writer. The style far removed from his earlier works in the Henry Thomspon noir trilogy and the Joe Pitt casebooks. The plot is deeply entrenched in current events and plays upon conspiracy theories and Government corruption and greed without over-reaching.
I had been eagerly anticipating something new from Charlie Huston, having been a fan since he first appeared on my reading radar some years ago and SKINNER didn't disappoint.
Highly recommended for fans of spy v spy and high octane, intelligent thrillers.
Heartache, murder, new beginnings, friendships, and a haunting are all key themes behind Stephen King's Joyland.
What starts as a summer job working aHeartache, murder, new beginnings, friendships, and a haunting are all key themes behind Stephen King's Joyland.
What starts as a summer job working as a Carney becomes much more for Devin. Being separated from his first love Wendy and knowing the distance is more than geographical, his heartache dictates his actions. Taking a fondness toward certain jobs at Joyland sees Devin become a local hero, ultimately putting his personal grief aside to allow for a new person to enter the frame.
I loved the atmosphere and real sense of Joyland being a summer escape. The essence of the Carney life is capture beautifully with Devin a different kind of protagonist, made better by a solid supporting cast.
The criminal element is on the peripheral; this is a character driven story first, crime/ghost story second. Being a Stephen King novel there was always going to be an element of the supernatural/other worldly, yet in Joyland it is delivered in a subtle manner that suits the tone of the book. ...more
Sam Thornton’s latest assignment is to hunt and kill the nine members of the Brethren; immortals that resemble a beast/man/monster concoction with powSam Thornton’s latest assignment is to hunt and kill the nine members of the Brethren; immortals that resemble a beast/man/monster concoction with powers that far exceed many a supernatural being. His guardian angel (from hell) Lilith, the messenger delivering these ambitious orders, thrusts Sam around the globe from meat-suit to meat-suit in a whirlwind of violence and terror to encounter all manner of nightmarish beings in order to fulfil his mission.
Dry humour and wet sticky gore run rampant throughout the third novel in the Collector series. Much like its predecessors, author Chris F Holm maintains a delicate balance between the fantastical and believable. Those who take souls and transpose their conscious into other physical forms to the beastly creations that are the Brethren surprisingly have an air of realism if you suspend your belief enough – which in this series is a must.
As a pulp enthusiast with a penchant for the other worldly, THE BIG REAP ticks all the right boxes despite not having the same impact on me as the previous two novels. The linear nature of the plot (taking a hit-man approach to eradicating the Brethren) is offset by Sam’s first collection in Nazi Germany where he is also introduced to Lilith and the confines of being a collector for the first time. It was good to read of Sam’s early struggle to come to grips with his predicament and new found ability.
Characters from previous instalments also made an appearance which adds a nice sense of continuity to the series. Their appearance was organic and in line with the natural progression of the plot.
Overall I enjoyed THE BIG REAP (love the names of these books) and hope Holm revisits this interesting character and concept once again.
Gary Scott’s past and present collide by virtue of a run down house where the Bogey Man feels all too real.
“I’m the Bogey, Bogey, I’m the Bogey Man. Gary Scott’s past and present collide by virtue of a run down house where the Bogey Man feels all too real.
“I’m the Bogey, Bogey, I’m the Bogey Man. I’m there when it gets dark to kill you if I can.”
Gary Scott, editor of the City Review lives a life akin to his blue collar existence. It’s one of meetings, deadlines, women, office confrontation, mediation, journalisms, and something dark and disturbing lurking in the shadows. The early stages of the novel see Gary’s stumble upon the gruesome corpse of a murdered dog near his girlfriends flat, seeing an angle for a story he quickly snaps some photos and proceeds to the office to write about the discovery and the ensuring police investigation. Little did he know that the dog was the start of a much larger and macabre series of events which would leads to suicide, murder, and a near death experience for Gary himself.
Despite the obvious graphic and violent end to the harmless animal at the beginning of the book, author Barry Graham allows protagonist Gary Scott to grow into his role at the magazine prior to thrusting more violence upon him. I liked the subtle approach to the supernatural by which Gary’s day job morphs into a medium for the spooky tales to emerge from the depths of an unknown evil. There are some great b-grade horror movie-like scenes, notably where a female character comes at Gary with a sharp object after taking that same object to herself.
There is something darker in the background that wasn’t explored to the extent I had imagined but it works well as Graham lulls the reader into a false sense of normalcy before brining the creatures that go bump in the night right to the forefront. A nice subtle horror not to be missed. ...more
James McGregor is a professional diver hired to recover some important items aboard a sunken yacht off the coast of Kingston by the wealthy and secretJames McGregor is a professional diver hired to recover some important items aboard a sunken yacht off the coast of Kingston by the wealthy and secretive Arthur Wayne. The job looks to be an easy pay off until McGregor discovers the yacht he’s to investigate hasn’t sunk yet.
GRAVE DESCEND is a solid, ever-twisting detective tale reminiscent of the dime-store pulps. The plot is engaging and accommodates the ever changing face of evil perfectly. With McGregor knowing full well the dive may be his last, the battle for survival is rife with bloodshed, double crosses and hidden agendas.
GRAVE DESCEND works well by virtue of its place setting accompanied by interesting twists and turns which separates it from the more traditional formulaic detective stories. Lange writes in an easy free flowing manner which allows the story to proceed at a quick pace which compliments McGregor’s predicament.
The only real gripe I have with GRAVE DESCEND is the open ended conclusion - all the puzzle pieces don’t quite fit into place. I’m not sure if there are more books featuring McGregor, but GRAVE DESCEND certainly left the impression that this protagonist was designed to be a series character.
GRAVE DESCEND is an enjoyable Bond-like story that provides a nice form of escapism. ...more
Garry Disher’s Wyatt character is the Australian equivalent to Richard Stark’s (Donald Westlake) Parker – a resourceful and methodical professional thGarry Disher’s Wyatt character is the Australian equivalent to Richard Stark’s (Donald Westlake) Parker – a resourceful and methodical professional thief who will stop at nothing to obtain the object of his desire. In this latest series instalment, WYATT, Disher not only re-establishes his most renowned character but also introduces new readers to the violent world of Aussie noir. Despite being the seventh book in the series (and the first I’ve read), WYATT reads extremely well as a standalone. Disher provides enough back-story to make the characters actually mean something while throwing references to past jobs undertaken by the professional thief. Conceptually, this hit all the targets solidifying Disher as a rare and top talent in Australian crime/noir fiction.
Wyatt’s latest job presents him with a unique opportunity to target a French jewel smuggler (Le Page) who just happens to be carrying a small fortune by way of bank bonds. An acquaintance in Eddie Oberin and his former wife Lydia convince Wyatt that the score is worth the risk despite overseas heat by way of a murdered courier Le Page may have been responsible for. What follows is a pure adrenalin soaked noir brimming with tension, violence, and a smattering of dark humour.
As my first exposure to Wyatt (apart from a short story in the Crime Factory anthology HARD LABOUR), this was a winner on all fronts. Disher mixes dark humour, violence, and engaging characters to create a truly entertaining and realistic Aussie noir that not only draws comparisons to the greats (ala Richard Stake) but supersedes them (a big call, I know, but justified in my eyes).
As a somewhat obsessive fan of noir and in more recent time an Aussie crime fiction convert (thank you Luke Preston, Andrew Nette, David Whish-Wilson, and Paul Anderson amongst others), I’m surprised it took me so long to delve into the world of Wyatt. Now that I’ve dipped my toes it’s time to get completely submerged in Disher’s work.
Raw and uninhibited. Josh Stallings, in his memoir doesn’t shy away from his demons – he confronts them head on. Like Ellroy’s MY DARK PLACES, StallinRaw and uninhibited. Josh Stallings, in his memoir doesn’t shy away from his demons – he confronts them head on. Like Ellroy’s MY DARK PLACES, Stallings writes a brutal truth that’s honesty is as uplifting as it is heartbreaking. Noir in life has a power not captured in fiction (though some filters through into Stallings’ books) that’s a shade darker and more complex than its fictional counterpart. ALL THE WILD CHILDREN is a perfect example of using pain and turning it in to love. I found the recollections of Stallings childhood confronting, evocative, and much like a movie though more cinematic and vividly violent.
ALL THE WILD CHILDREN allows the reader to delve inside the mind of a man who has lived noir. Ultimately I gained further appreciation of Stallings achievements through his struggles in childhood to his demanding and difficult fatherhood experiences. There are elements in his crime writing that bleeds raw emotion, reading ALL THE WILD CHILDREN, we as a reader community get to see where that originates from.
A group of young men working blue collar low paying jobs in the basement of prominent law firm Olmstead & Taft conspire to get rich quick by partakingA group of young men working blue collar low paying jobs in the basement of prominent law firm Olmstead & Taft conspire to get rich quick by partaking in insider trading. As the Blazers, working in the printing department of the law firm, the group are entrusted with big corporation secrets which have the power to make or break share prices. When approached by a disgruntled lawyer to actually read the documents they handle on a daily basis and use that knowledge the swindle the share market, the colourful group of characters finally sees a way out of bordering poverty and a means to secure financial security for themselves and family. Little did they know that a seemingly innocent crime would lead to a very violent and bloody end.
I liked how Nick Santora consistently ingrained a sense of dread throughout the course of the novel. When something goes right for one of the main characters, Santora is quick to point out that the cards weren’t to always fall in their favour. The approach kept me reading and wanting to get to those sections where the character’s lives fall apart – and when they did it was nothing short of top tier reading. Santora’s vivid imagery and graphic depiction of violence is a thing to behold. I’ve never cringed at touter scenes to the extent of those on display in FIFTEEN DIGITS. What also appeals to the darker reader in me, is the threat of violence more so than the act itself. It was interesting to see how these five distinct characters with completely different background coped when faced with life and death situations.
At the core of FIFTEEN DIGITS lies a story of struggle, triumph, relationships, and failed opportunities. I hyped the violence and darker angles of the fiction but it’s these other aspects that really take FIFTEEN DIGITS to that extra level. I wont spoil the key plot outcomes or conflict/friendships other than to say many readers will enjoy the tightly plotted and surprisingly twisted story.
Much like SLIP AND FALL, Nick Santora has written an engaging and entertaining novel. I cant wait to see what he writes next. ...more
A gruesome crime intertwined with a domestic drama where family members, past, present and departed play pivotal roles. Small town detective Kari VaarA gruesome crime intertwined with a domestic drama where family members, past, present and departed play pivotal roles. Small town detective Kari Vaara is called out to the scene of murdered high profile Somali immigrant, Sufia Elmi. The crime, akin to the famous Black Dahlia resembles the same forced brutality yet this Finnish crime is no Ellroy noir. No truer to fact or fiction yet small linkages can be drawn.
The body is mutilated, dubbed early on as a sex and hate crime, Vaara is forced to deal with something foreign to his experience and small community lifestyle. Author James Thompson takes readers on a journey which not only expands the plot but also Vaara as a person and officer of the law.
I liked the easy way Thompson rationalises Vaara’s ex-wife’s involvement by virtue of her current boyfriend and prime suspect Seppo. Once taken in for questioning, the scenarios come thick and heavy with everyone from Vaara’s ex to his own father coming under scrutiny.
The place setting added much to this police procedural. It provided something a little out of the norm and showcased some of the difficulties Vaara had to content with both in people and environment.
As the first novel in the series, SNOW ANGELS certainly has me keen for more. A solid first up police procedural with plenty of unforseen twists and turns. ...more
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